Container closure



Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CLOSURE Application August 1:, 1933, Serial No. mass 6 Claims. (01. 215-43) In the type of cap to which the invention relates, a permanent eifective inner seal is secured by means of said disk of thin material, which ordinarily is a cellulose product of a type known commercially as cellophane. The material of the disk, however, may vary, as may the cementing medium used for securing it to the neck of the bottle or other container, such being determined largely by the character of the material being bottled. Whatever the material used in the disk, however, it must be substantially nonabsorbent and gas impervious and be of a thinness which is readily rupturable in order to permit its removal when it is desired to have access to the contents of the bottle.

. Furthermore, the inner face of the cushion disk or gasket of a re-seal closure must possess the same properties of being non-absorbent and gas impervious as the inner sealing disk, since after the removal of this inner disk; the closure, with its contained cushion disk or gasket, is used for again sealing the bottle after a portion of the contents has been removed.

Closures of the type above referred to were known prior to my invention, and have been extensively used in the packaging of drugs, flavoring extracts, foodstuffs and various other substances, such userunning into the millions.

Prior to my invention, the practice in producing caps of the inner seal, re-seal type involved the cutting of disks for the inner seal of a diameter slightly in excess of the maximum inner diameter of the skirt of the shell of the closure, so that the inner seal disk was frictionally held within the. closure shell during shipment and while in the capping machine. Said disks were cut from a web of the material just prior to delivering within the shell. with closures having a skirt formed of Bakelite or other phenol formaldehyde or similar compounds, the depth of the threads is such that during delivery of the inner seal disk to the shell there is always likelihood of the wrinkling of the disk, or of a bulging thereof to an extent to at times allow the edge of the skirt of one shell to mutilate, or to dislodge the inner seal of another closure, while in the capping machine. Furthermore, since the thickness of the material of the inner seal disk may be only between .001 and .003 of an inch,

it does not possess a degree of rigidity which will at all times ensure an effective frictional contact between the edge thereof and the skirt of the bottle, and any wrinkling or'bulging not only lessens this frictional contact but permits air to enter between the disk of the inner seal and thecushion disk, so that mere agitation of the closures may result in the dislodgement of the inner seal disk and its escape from the shell. With metal shells the same conditions are present, but to a lesser degree.

It is highly desirable that each closure, as it is applied to a container, shall contain a disk for forming the inner seal, and that this inner seal disk shall be readily separable from the closure shell and its container cushion disk or gasket, as the ire-seal portion of the closure is being removed, to avoid accidental rupture of said disk. Inother words, the essential characteristic of a closure of the type to which the invention relates is that with the removal of the so-called re-seal" cap, the disk cemented to the neck of the bottle shall remain upon the bottle in an imperforate condition so as to prevent the unwarranted removal of the contents of the container by unscrupulous persons who may be inclinedto dilute such contents.

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided .a closure of the type referred to above, wherein the disk for forming the inner seal will remain within the shell of the closure, notwithstanding that the closure may be subjected to violent shocks or jars or violent agitation during transportation thereof and while in a capping machine. The means employed for preventing the accidental escape of the inner seal disk from the shell avoids necessity for the use of any bonding medium between the disk and the cushion disk within the shell of a closure, or of frictional contact between theedge of the disk and the skirt of the closure.

By constructing a closure in accordance with the invention, it is, therefore, possible to make the inner seal disk of a diameter materially less than the maximum inner diameter of the skirt of the closure, thus permitting said disk to be laid flat upon the face of the cushion disk or sealing gasket within the closure shell, and avoiding any possibility of wrinkling or buckling of the material of said inner sealing disk, either during its assembly in the closure structure or when app y ng a closure to a bottle. wrinkling of the material 01 the inner Beeline disk is undesirable,

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particularly as it may prevent the formation oi as tight seal between the edge portion of said. disl: end the top oi the necl: of e, container.

Tne manner of combining the inner seeling disk in the closure structure is such as to ensure the turning of the shell, its contained cushion or sealing gasket and the inner cooling the application of e. closure to the con= toiner, and permits 2. tree turning of the cushion olislt or sealing nslret in relation to the reeling disk duo: the removal of the re-seol can from the container when it is desired to have access to the cont thereof. This free turn ins movement of tlio portion of the closure in relation to tire inner settling disk is highly desirable during the removol of time re-sesl por tion of the closure from the contsiner since it avoids likelihood oi the rupture of the inner sealing disk from turning movement of the re-sesl can.

The materiel used in causing the retention of the inner sealing disl: within the shell oi the closure may very Widely, although it must be in nocuous to the container contents which come into contact therewith upon the readjustment of the closure to container following the re movsl oi the inner sealing disk. It must also substantially non volstcs or non-tacky to on e: tent to ensure the retention of the inner seallrwitliinw the o er fairly long intern ice the closur stored for e co this time before e, p otion to e. cont-enter. Tire invention consists primarily in e. con te-iner closure embodying therein a shell having skirt provided with m ans to npleinentsry means upon the neck of 2. corn nor in applying a closure thereto, cushion is or scaling gasket within said skirted shell, s within said skirted shell for forming inner seal, and an air excluding stratum of nonvolatile and non teolzy fluid between said inner seal disk and sold cushion disk or senlfcor, saslzet, whereby occidental escape oi. said inner seal from the shell is prevented and relative movement and seporetionof said cushion disk or sealing gasket and said inner seal disk are fE'tciliteted; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto enpendeol.

Referring to the drawing,

l is a. bottom plan View of a, closure embodying the invention upon an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 2 is c section on the line 22 oi Fig. 1.

like numerals refer to like parts in both of said views.

in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, it is illustrated in connection with o well known type of closure used with wideinouthed glass bottles or jars. This closure has a metal shell consisting of s top it, and a skirt 11 provided with screw threads 12, or other wedging devices oriented to engage complectsry means upon the neck of a bottle to perthe attachment of the closure to the bottle by e. turning movement of the closure.

Within the skirt ll and ordinarily cemented to the top 10 of the shell is a, cushion disk or sealing gasket 13, which may take a Wide variety of forms. In some instances this disk or gasket is formed of natural or composition cork, while in other instances it is made oi a soft paper morocco itifien a disk of natural or conioositicn cork is used, such materials possess inherent characteristics being substantially non=ebsorbent md Ens im'perviom. A varnished paper facing 14 for e. cardboard or other cushion dist; presents toward the contents oi the container, a material which is substentiefly non=cbscrfcent and cos impervious. Wiietever the materiel of which the cushion disk or cooling gasket rosy be made, it must possess the ov ies of osing substantially non-absorbent insects/ions, these characteristics being to ti e cushion disi: or sealing gasket the invention. mm the closure shell is on inner seal is nonebscrrent, to deter oration from cc teiner thereto e. conc nt its edge. e co iner c. sin intact oetel shell r1 1 mg geese cushion or see. 3 container.

of this disk is made y to adapt it for use with different subs ,nces be packaged, a cellulose product, idiot-7n the rode as "Cellophsne, is extensively used for this purpose.

Elie diameter of the disk 15 may be slightly smaller than the maximum inner diameter of bh-E skirt 11 so as to avoid frictional engagement between the edge of the disk and the inner surface or" the skirt, and to permit the insertion of the disk through the open end of the skirt without any material buckling of the dis Care must be taken, however, to provide on inner seal dlslr of sumcient diameter to completely span the mouth of 2. bottle and lap the top thereof to an extent to permit the formation oi an effective bond be= tween some and the bottle neck, notwithstanding tire degree of shifting of the disk 15 within the shell. The difference in diameter may smoont to cne-siX'ty-iouzth of an inch without any possibility of e. failure to make 2. proper bond between the clisls and the top of the neclz of the container.

Between the inner seal disk 15 and the nonabsorbent cushion dislr or sealing gasket 131l an interposed firm or stratum of e. non-volatile, non-tricky fluid. shown at 16. This film or stratum may be of n highly refined mineral oil, petrolatum, glycerine or, where certain oils are being packaged, may correspond with the oil in the packare. The character of the oil used must be selectezl to avoid contamination oi? the contents oi 2. bottle or other container with what remains of tire film unon thecushion disk or sealing gasket after the removal of the closure.

The film or stratum 18 may be applied throughout the entire area of the disk 15, or to any substantial portion of this area. Ordinarily, as a. strip of the material from which the disk 15 is cut is it is passed overa swab saturated with the oily material so as to apply a film to the under surface of the strip or that surface presented toward the female die member. Hence, the presence of'the film of oil has no tendency to interfere with the die action, and there is no tendency to smut the surface of the disk 15 presented toward the neck of a bottle with oil to an extent to interfere with the formation of the closely adherent bond between the portion of the disk adjacent its edge and the neck of the bottle.

In placing the disk within the shell, the oil fihn is forced into engagement with the cushion disk or sealing gasket proper, and all air is expressed from between said disk and the cushion disk or sealing gasket. With the withdrawal of the male die, atmospheric pressure will hold the disk 15 in position upon the cushion disk or sealing gasket, and the oil film will prevent air entering between said inner seal disk and said cushion disk or sealing gasket.

While the disk 15 may be slid from one position to another upon the cushiondisk or sealing gasket, there is no tendency whatever for it to lift or separate therefrom, and any lifting of the disk is resisted. There is no cementing whatever of the disk 15 to the cushion disk, so that after cementitlous material has been applied to the top of the neck of a container and the closure, embodying the invention. is applied thereto by the capping machine, the pressure upon the disk 15 with the compression of the cushion disk or sealing gasket causes it to turn with the cushion disk or gasket so as to cause a rotary rubbing action applied to the cement by the disk 15 in a,manner to assure the effective spreading of the cement when forming the inner seal.

When removing the shell and its contained cushion disk or sealing gasket to permit access to the inner seal disk adhered to the top of the neck of the bottle or other container, the cushion disk or sealing gasket turns freely in relation to the inner seal disk so that there is no tendency toward the rupture of this seal as a result of the twisting action of a cushion disk thereupon.

The disk 15 is made from thin strip material, its thickness ranging from .001 to .003 of an inch, so that notwithstanding the toughness of the material, possibility of accidental rupture is not lacking.

The oil materials used in the film are, except at the-extreme edges thereof, protected from contact with the atmospheric air, so that there is little or no tendency of the oxidation thereof to an extent to cause the hardening of the material of the film in a manner to form even a light bond between the disk 15 and the cushion disk or sealing gasket.

Actual practice has demonstrated that with the use of a film of non-volatile, non-tacky, unctuous material in the manner herein referred to, the likelihood of the accidental loss of an inner seal disk or film from the closure is negligible.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the detailed construction of closure shown. in the accompanying drawing and herein specificailly referred to, it being obvious that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I believe it to be broadly new to provide a closure embodying therein an inner seal disk held against accidental displacement in its relation to the cushion disk or sealing gasket by a stratum or film of a non-volatile and non-tacky fluid permitting free relative movement of the cushion disk orsealing gasket and the inner seal disk during turning movement of either, and I intend to .claim such broadly. I

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is.:-

1. A container closure embodying therein a shell having a skirt provided with means adapted to engage complementary'means' upon the neck of a container in applying a closure thereto, s.- cushion disk or sealing gasket within said skirted shell, a disk within said skirted shell for form- 'ing an inner seal, and an air excluding stratum of non-volatile and non-tacky fluid between said inner seal disk and said cushion disk of sealing gasket, whereby accidental escape of said inner seal disk from the shell is prevented and relative movement and separation of said cushion disk or sealing gasket and said inner seal disk are facilitated.

2. A container closure embodying therein a shell having a skirt provided with means adapted to engage complementary means uponthe neck of a container in applying a closure thereto, a cushion disk or sealing gasket, the exposed face of which is substantially non-absorbent and gas impervious within said skirted shell, a disk of thin flexible substantially non-absorbent and gas impervious material within said skirted shell for forming an inner seal, and an air excluding stratum of non-volatile and non-tacky fluid between said inner seal disk and said cushion disk or sealing gasket, whereby accidental escape of said inner seal disk from the shell is prevented and relative movement and separation of said cushion disk or sealing gasket and said inner seal disk are facilitated.

3. A container closure embodying therein a shell having a skirt provided with means adapted to engage complementary means upon the neck of a container in applying a closure thereto, a cushion disk or sealing gasket within said skirted shell, a disk within said skirted shell for forming an inner seal, said inner seal disk being of a relatively smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the skirt of said shell, and an air excluding stratum of non-volatile and non-tacky fluid between said inner seal disk and said'cushion disk or sealing gasket, whereby accidental escape of said inner seal disk from the shell is prevented and relative movement and separation of said cushion disk or sealing gasket and said inner seal disk are facilitated.

4. A container closure embodying therein a shell having a skirt provided with means adapted to engage complementary means upon the neck of a container in applying a closure thereto, a cushion disk or sealing gasket, the exposed face of which is substantially non-absorbent and gas impervious within said skirted shell, a disk of thin flexible substantially non-absorbent and gas impervious material within said skirted shell for forming an inner seal, said inner seal disk being of a relatively smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the skirt of said shell, and an air excluding stratum of non-volatile and non-tacky fluid between said inner seal disk and said cushion disk or sealing gasket, whereby accidental of .a container in applying a closure thereto, a cushion disk or sealing gasket within said skirted shell, a disk within said skirted shell for forming an inner seal, and a, thin film oi 011 between said inner seal disk and said cushion disk or sealing gasket, whereby accidental escape or said inner seal disk from the shell is prevented and relative movement and separation 01 said cushion disk or sealing gasket and said inner seal disk are facilitated.

6. A container closure embodying therein a. shell having e skirt provided with means adapted to engage eomplementery means upon the neck of a container in epprlyii'izz, e closure thereto, a cushion disk or sealing gasket, the exposed face of which is substantially non-absorbent and gas impervious within said skirted shell, a disk of thin flexible substantially non-absorbent and gas impervious material within said skirted shell for forming an inner seal, said inner seal disk being 01' a relatively smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the skirt of said shell, and a film of thin oil between said inner seal disk and said cushion disk or sealing gasket, whereby eccldentel escape of said inner seal disk from the shell is prevented and relative movement and sepstation of said cushion disk or sealing gasket end said inner seal disk are facilitated.

3A? BERNARD EISEN. 

